them, by
loose conversation, hard drinking, and whatever could counteract all
that Worthy had been saying.

Mr. Worthy was much concerned to hear Mr. Bragwell, after dinner,
whisper to the waiter, to put less and less water into every fresh
bowl of punch. This was his old way; if the time they had to sit was
long, then the punch was to be weaker, as he saw no good in wasting
money to make it stronger than the time required. But if time
pressed, then the strength was to be increased in due proportion, as
a small quantity must then intoxicate them as much in a short time
as would be required of a greater quantity had the time been longer.
This was one of Mr. Bragwell's nice calculations; and this was the
sort of skill on which he so much valued himself.

At length the guests were properly primed for business; just in that
convenient stage of intoxication which makes men warm and rash, yet
keeps short of that absolute drunkenness which disqualifies for
business, the auctioneer set to work. All were bidders, and, if
possibly, all would have been purchasers; so happily had the feast
and the punch operated. They bid on with a still increasing spirit,
till they got so much above the value of the land, that Bragwell
with a wink and a whisper, said: "Who would sell his land fasting?
Eh! Worthy?" At length the estate was knocked down, at a price very
far above its worth.

As soon as it was sold, Bragwell again said softly to Worthy, "Five
from fifty and there remain forty-five. The dinner and drink won't
cost me five pounds, and I have got fifty more than the land was
worth. Spend a shilling to gain a pound! This is what I call
practical arithmetic, Mr. Worthy."

Mr. Worthy was glad to get out of this scene; and seeing that his
friend was quite sober, he resolved as they rode home, to deal
plainly with him. Bragwell had found out, among his calculations,
that there were some sins which could only be committed, by a
prudent man, one at a time. For instance, he knew that a man could
not well get rich and get drunk at the same moment; so that he used
to practice one first, and the other after; but he had found out
that some vices made very good company together; thus, while he had
watched himself in drinking, lest he should become as unfit to sell
as his guests were to buy, he had indulged, without measure, in the
good dinner he had provided. Mr. Worthy, I say, seeing him able to
bear reason, rebuked him for this day's procee